(Not) just us and the moonlight
by Misila
Summary: Haruka trusts Rin and somehow doesn't think Sousuke would stab him in the back, but that doesn't mean he likes every human. And he doesn't like the scientist that shows up wanting to study him. At all. [Future Fish/Mook AU, sequell to Ocean tides]
1. Chapter 1

_Free!_ doesn't belong to me. Neither does _High Speed!_

This fic was written for the _RinHaruWeek 2015_ (Day 2/Day 5, red). Although it has less metaphors and more action, this story is a sequel to _Ocean tidess (a cursed child and a battle against fate_ ).

* * *

 ** _(Not) just us and the moonlight_**

.

Had Rin known what his selfishness would lead to, he would have never made Haruka wake up at dawn just to help him fulfil his stupid fantasy. He wouldn't have used _but it's my birthday!_ as an excuse to coax his boyfriend into going out. And he would have never brought him to the beach.

But Rin doesn't know.

So he claims he'll be perfectly fine in the water though it's still February, and before Haruka can tell him otherwise he's stripped down to his swimsuit and is running into the water, ignoring the cold that seems to cut through his skin as he hears Haruka trying to catch up with him.

When his feet don't touch the sand beneath the sea, and Rin turns around, though, he doesn't see his boyfriend. Already shivering, he looks at the water, more suspicious than worried. He knows Haruka isn't too far; he never is when they are in the ocean.

Yet he doesn't expect his boyfriend to breach just before him, few centimetres from his own face. Rin's yelp almost makes him swallow water, but he can tell Haruka is laughing despite he's sunk again.

"It's not funny!" Rin flails his arms around blindly, partly because he's really cold. His fingers find a face just as arms encircle his waist, and Haruka surfaces again, this time slower, gentler.

Rin's feet can touch Haruka's tail, swinging rhythmically to keep them both afloat.

"You're cold," he mutters, the last traces of laughter lingering in a little smile.

And it's true that Rin is shivering, but he's also happy because it's his birthday and it's the first one he spends with the most amazing creature he's ever met and he's never felt this safe in the sea that took his father away.

So Rin leans his forehead against Haruka's, barely suppressing the shudder that runs through his body.

"I'll have to trust you to keep me warm, then."

Haruka doesn't need to be told twice. As Rin crashes their lips together, the hands innocently placed on his waist pull him closer. Rin hugs Haruka back, the skin pressed against the sea man's body burning despite the cold. Haruka's tail wraps around Rin's leg tightly, as if he didn't plan on let it go, until they start sinking again.

The cold numbs his body, leaving him completely at Haruka's mercy. Rin hardly remembers where they are by the time Haruka's mouth slids down his throat, kissing the salty skin and making his breath hitch.

He must have made some noise, because Haruka jerks away from him. Rin opens his half-closed eyes and blinks at his boyfriend, confused.

"What's–"

"Your lips are purple," Haruka explains, already swimming to the shore.

"I can swim myself!" Rin tries to break free from Haruka's firm grasp, but the truth is he's at a disadvantage at the moment. Pouting, he stumbles to his bag and takes out a towel to cover himself with, while Haruka just lays on the sand watching him as his tail remains in the water, swinging and splashing between waves. "It's not fair. You don't get cold."

Haruka shrugs. "It'd be a problem if I did."

He crawls towards Rin, laying next to him and closing his eyes when Rin runs his still trembling fingers through his hair.

"Shouldn't you shift now? If anyone sees you…"

Haruka frowns, visibly annoyed. As he opens his eyes, the tail that starts where his hips should be slowly separates in two legs, a sight that never ceases to amaze Rin. He sits up and Rin covers his naked body with the towel, too, pulling him close despite knowing Haruka doesn't need it. He's among the coldest living beings Rin has ever touched, and even though he curls up and hugs his knees he probably feels as good as he looks.

"Is this what you wanted to do for your birthday?" Haruka asks, his gaze never leaving the waves that lick their toes.

Rin knows (or at least highly suspects) that Haruka can feel the warmth irradiating from his cheeks.

"Yes," he admits quietly. "Thank you."

Haruka doesn't say anything along the lines of _you're welcome_ or _it's nothing_ , because it _is_ something for him. Even Rin can see the silent concern in his eyes whenever they're close to the ocean. And to be fair, it's not like he can say that restlessness is unfounded.

But Rin is fine. Still a bit cold, but he's twenty-three now and not only alive against all odds, but also enjoying every bit of this day. Thinking about how it will inevitably end someday scares him, but not focusing in the future is easy when Haruka finally stops looking at the sea, when his hand reaches to the back of Rin's head to pull him into a kiss, more intense now that the sea can't try to swallow Rin.

If only everything stayed the way it is now.

.

Haruka takes deep breaths, forces his jaw to relax a bit and pretends he hasn't heard anything.

Of course, that doesn't make Kisumi shut up. He goes on and on with his senseless chatting, stopping every now and then to deal with the customers that start filling the restaurant, but always coming back to the kitchen, not realizing (or not wanting to realize) that Haruka is seriously considering throwing a pan to his face.

Despite not liking him, though, Haruka has to admit that hiring him was a good idea. He doesn't know how to deal with humans, let alone how to be _liked_ by them, and when the former waiter left after Christmas Haruka found himself thinking about running into the ocean and never coming back again.

Not that Haruka plans on thanking Kisumi for saving him from interacting with people.

"Haru, your boyfriend is here," Kisumi almost sings, and as Haruka walks out of the kitchen he wishes Kisumi didn't know about him and Rin. It's annoying.

What doesn't exactly bother him, though, is seeing how Kisumi goes outside, where Haruka knows the rain that has been falling for the whole morning has stopped for a bit and guesses Sousuke is waiting for Rin in the police car. He's so intrigued he winces when Rin kisses his cheek, not expecting the gesture.

"Woah, are you okay?" Haruka nods. Rin unsuccessfully tries to supress a sneeze and follows his gaze, sniffing. "Oh. Sousuke and Kisumi." Haruka nods again. "They aren't a thing, though." Rin gently takes his hand. "Yet."

Haruka huffs. Kisumi dating Sousuke would mean seeing him more often than he already does at work. He barely stands Sousuke; dealing with the two of them together seems like a nightmare.

"Hey, cheer up." Haruka finally looks at Rin. "The restaurant is closed tonight, right? If it isn't raining, we can go to the beach."

"You can't swim," Haruka reminds him. The cold Rin caught when he recklessly threw himself into the sea hasn't healed yet. Rin pouts, which with his red nose and his flushed cheeks makes him look like a sad child.

"I know. But you can."

Haruka smiles lightly. Suddenly the hours left until he can say goodbye to Kisumi don't seem so long.

.

Rin can't wait until the summer to swim with Haruka.

But he has to, because he's sick and Haruka has sworn he'll drown him if he jumps into the water again. Not that Rin actually believes him, but Haruka has been pretty annoyed since Kisumi started working with him and he needs a rest.

So Rin sits on a rock at the feet of the cliff and watches as his boyfriend swims, jumping out of the water every now and then and disappearing under the surface for minutes, only to breach again with shells or stones he gives to Rin before diving again.

It's a pity that it's already dark; Haruka's movements are really worth seeing. More than swimming, it's like the water itself made a way for him. And Rin knows he's at least a bit biased, but he doesn't think it's the same with Haruka's friends. Rin could be there forever, watching how the moon shines on Haruka's tail, despite the headache and the fever he knows he's nursing.

A startled cry breaks their little world when Haruka shows Rin what looks like a pearl. Rin instantly jumps to his feet, his hand on the gun in his belt, and Haruka makes sure his tail is underwater; but as the stranger walks directly towards them they both sense it's useless now.

"You… The one in the water." The stranger sounds out of breath, his pace fastening until he's running. Rin knows Haruka is about to dive into the water to avoid the confrontation. "I was… I was taking samples, and- I saw you, so… You have… You…"

Rin glances at Haruka, who has his eyes on the stranger, and then looks at the newcomer again, now that he's close enough to discern his features.

He's surprised when he finds out the stranger looks about his age; his hair, ginger, looks like fire, his yellow eyes seem those of a bird of prey. He reminds Rin of someone.

"Who are you?" he asks cautiously.

"Momotarou Mikoshiba."

There it is. He's Rin's boss' brother. The one who had a crush on his sister when they were in high school.

The memory makes Rin glare at him.

"I'm a marine biologist," Momotarou goes on, "and I… I saw you, and I'd like to know more about you."

Haruka tilts his head.

"Why?"

The question takes Momotarou aback. He scratches the back of his head.

"Because- Well, because I study organisms who live in the ocean."

Either Rin's fever is higher than he thought or Haruka is acting really weirdly when he gets out of the water. His tail has been replaced with a pair of legs.

"Are you a scientist?"

Momotarou nods, excited. Probably not noticing the way Haruka slightly draws back, and bares teeth that feel way sharper than they look. "And you… It's amazing, but you can- I mean, that's not a tail. How do you do it?" Haruka tenses further with every step Momotarou takes towards them.

"Don't get closer," Rin warns when he hears a low growl. He doesn't want anyone to get injured.

"I won't tell anyone, I promise." Momotarou assures, but luckily he stops in his tracks. "I'm just curious."

Haruka shakes his head. "I don't want to."

Rin can almost listen to the follow-up ( _scientists cut living beings for fun_ ).

Momotarou pouts.

"Okay… I'll try tomorrow then."

"Huh?"

"You work with my brother, don't you?" Rin doesn't have many choices other than nodding; considering he's still wearing his uniform, his job is quite obvious. "I'll ask him where I can find the half-merman. And then," he starts again, addressing Haruka now, "I'll try until you agree."

And, with a dazzling grin, he's gone.

Rin waits for Haruka to get dressed, not knowing what to say. He's worried; now not only Sousuke and he know Haruka's true nature, but also that airhead. And if that Momotarou is anything like the kid Rin remembers from high school, he holds no malice.

He just talks too much sometimes.

"Maybe you should–"

"Rin," Haruka gently pushes him to start walking, "shut up."

"But he knows."

The contact in Rin's back disappears. "He said he won't tell anyone."

Rin sighs.

"He says too many things." But he doesn't want to talk about it. Besides, Haruka shifts at will. There's no way to force him to, and, therefore, to prove he's not human. "Anyway, have I told you about that gang we're about to dismantle yet?"

.

Haruka isn't exactly surprised when Momotarou Mikoshiba shows up at the restaurant.

It's been a week since the scientist found out his secret, and every day he's asked Haruka the same thing: to let him study his body. Haruka supposes _asking_ is nice, though he can't focus on it when he's requested to let Momotarou cut him up or whatever it is scientists do.

"No," he snaps before the redhead has the chance to ask him again, walking back into the kitchen. Maybe he should tell Kisumi to not let Momotarou into the restaurant.

Kisumi, who is getting curious about what Momotarou wants so badly he asks Haruka every day.

"Drugs?" he tries when Momotarou gives up for today.

Haruka sighs.

"No."

"It'd be troublesome." Kisumi's mischievous grin is unsettling. "Since you're dating a policeman and all."

"I think there's a customer."

There isn't anyone outside, but Haruka enjoys the few seconds of peace before Kisumi returns.

He's grilling mackerel, but he isn't really paying attention to it. What Momotarou has told him before repeats over and over in his mind, despite Haruka not wanting to hear it. Because it's something he'd never thought about, and he doesn't want to believe a stranger's word so easily.

But Rin said that, too.

.

 _"_ _You laugh at us, but you mer– sea people are ridiculous too."_

 _Haruka frowned. "How so?"_

 _"_ _Well, you seem to be convinced that scientists are heartless monsters who love killing everything that falls into their hands."_

 _Haruka's hands stopped caressing Rin's hair. The man let his book on his chest and turned his head to look at Haruka from his lap._

 _"_ _It's what they do. Nagisa's mother–"_

 _"_ _They did that, in the past," Rin admitted. "Now laws forbid hurting animals just for fun, you know."_

.

" _I won't hurt you_ ," Momotarou has said. " _We're not in the Middle Ages._ "

Haruka doesn't know what the Middle Ages are (he'll ask Rin when he gets home), but he can't help but feel a bit less hostile towards that loud human.

.

Rin is in a bad mood.

Not only he's still sick; somehow his cold has gotten worse, and Haruka has forced him to spend the day in bed. And when Rin has called Sousuke for help, his friend has agreed with the sea man and told him to get some rest.

 _That traitor._

He probably just wants to spend more time with Kisumi, which is easier without having Rin around.

At least Haruka doesn't work this night. Rin is asleep when he gets home, but when he wakes up Haruka is sitting on the floor with his back leaning on the bed, apparently reading.

Rin crawls to the edge of the mattress, getting an absent-minded squeeze on his hand instead of the usual kiss. They don't know about what illnesses they can catch from the other. Being from different species should mean Rin is immune to most sea people diseases and Haruka can't catch human ones, but they are cautious about it.

"What are you reading?"

"Your book about laws."

Rin frowns. He _did_ learn everything that's written in that book, but it was so boring he doesn't remember half of it now; he only uses it when he needs to look something up. It's not the kind of book he'd give Haruka for his birthday, exactly.

He focuses on the title of the section Haruka is reading.

 _About scientific experimentation._

"Is this about Momo?"

Haruka tenses up visibly.

"No."

Rin can tell he's lying. "Then?"

Haruka sighs.

"He's annoying," he admits quietly. "And Kisumi is asking too. He won't stop bugging me, so I thought I could… But only if he's not dangerous."

Rin bites his lower lip, still holding Haruka's hand. He presses the cool palm against his own burning face, but even though it helps him think more clearly there is something he doesn't like about the idea. It's not that he thinks Momotarou would do something against the law (much less hurting a policeman's boyfriend), but something isn't right.

"I met Momo in high school, although he was younger than me," he starts. "He loved animals, and got into trouble for keeping bugs in his room. But I never saw him harm anything alive." Rin isn't exactly sure where he wants to go with his speech. "If it's up to him, nobody will hurt you." He can't supress a yawn. "He's just…"

Haruka's hand brushes Rin's hair off his face when he trails off. "I can take care of myself," he assures. Rin closes his eyes. "Do you need anything?"

"Water would be good."

Being sick is not that bad, Rin thinks when Haruka returns to the bedroom and refuses to let him sleep until he eats something.

.

It's not that Haruka is scared.

What's there to be afraid of, anyway? He doesn't think Rin would lie about something like this, and Momotarou doesn't really seem the kind of person who would hurt anyone for the sake of it. Haruka doesn't trust people easily, but up until now that human has been nice enough to ask for his consent and not tell anyone.

At midday, Momotarou storms into the restaurant, as happy and excited as he was the night he saw Haruka's tail. As if Haruka hadn't been refusing his offer for the last week.

"Hello, Nanase-san!" Haruka flinches at the sound of the surname Rin and Aiichiro made up for him. He's been called that many times, but he hasn't gotten used to it yet. Momotarou half-walks, half-jumps towards where Haruka is drinking a glass of water. He's going to need it. "So, about–"

"Is it true that you can't harm me?" Haruka interrupts.

"Eh… yes." Momotarou blinks twice, confused for some seconds. "Besides, I don't want to. I'm a biologist because I like studying living beings, not killing them."

Haruka sighs. He walks outside, knowing the human is following him and praying Kisumi minds his own business for once.

They stop at a little alley in the back of the restaurant, where Haruka often feeds stray cats. The sea man raises his hand, a single finger pointing up. "If I change my mind, you won't stop me."

Momotarou tilts his head. "Huh?"

"My only condition," Haruka clarifies.

He looks aside when Momotarou's face lights up.

"Really?! This is– I'm so grateful, Nanase-san! A merman! I'll–"

Haruka's glare cuts him off.

" _Sea man_."

.

Usually Kisumi wouldn't give a second thought to other people's business.

Today he can't get the conversation he overheard at the restaurant out of his mind, even though he should have other things in his head. He's going to a meeting, and it's never anything good. Kisumi actually hates it, hates every person there.

But he has to do it. There are no choices for him. He quit a normal life the second he let them know about his desperation.

So he walks until he reaches an apparently empty building in the outskirts, trying not to think about what this meeting will be about.

In a meeting, there are three people. One of them is Kisumi himself. The other two are his boss, Suzuki, and the customer. Today, the customer is a tall, blond man, who seems to be around his forties and looks at Kisumi as if he were an ignorant kid.

"You're late."

Kisumi regrets the precious minutes he's spent debating whether talking to Haruka would be a good idea or not almost immediately.

"I'm sorry," he mutters on reflex, his plan long forgotten. He's sworn himself there won't be any more jobs; that's what working at the restaurant is for. But six years doing the same vile things aren't easy to ignore. "What is it, this time?"

 _That's it. This is the last one._

The customer takes a step towards him.

"I'm Shizuo Akiyama," he introduces himself, and Kisumi forces himself to keep still. It's true that no noble person asks for the kind of service they offer, but he doesn't like that particular man in the very least.

"You see, the other day I saw something really beautiful. Something I'd really want to have only for me."

As Kisumi listens, he understands. And then he wants to shake his head, because he's done bad things in the past, but this… this isn't just stealing. This is more serious, and the last thing on Kisumi's head is getting accused of kidnapping. The mere idea of doing it sickens him.

"What?"

Kisumi doesn't realize until that moment that he's spoken aloud. Not that he minds.

"I won't."

For the first time, Suzuki moves, taking three long steps until he's standing in front of Kisumi. "Are you ready to let him die, then?"

Kisumi closes his hands into fists. Suzuki doesn't know… he has no idea…

"I don't need you anymore. I don't want to keep doing this."

"Oh?" Suzuki smiles. "So this is why you got a decent job? So you could do whatever you want?"

Kisumi nods, not knowing what else to do.

"Illness isn't the only way to kill a person, you know." Suzuki steps back, but his smile is still there, and all Kisumi can think of is his brother, fighting his own battle when at any moment Suzuki's men could pull a trigger and make him lose it. "Then? What do you say?"

And Kisumi hates Suzuki, hates what he's going to do, but most of all he hates himself.

"Okay then."

.

Rin didn't ask to get better after dinner. But the truth is that his fever is completely gone, finally, and he needs to do what he hasn't been able to for the last days.

Besides, it concerns him. Mostly because the gang they've been chasing for months seems to have its main base in Iwatobi, but also because some of the names that are appearing sound too familiar. Rin can't put faces to them yet, though.

A huff makes him tear his gaze off the laptop to look at Haruka, who seems to be fighting against his eyelids to keep his eyes open. His arms sneak around Rin's waist.

"It's late," he mumbles.

"I'm almost done," Rin lies, caressing his hair. "Go to sleep."

Haruka huffs again, annoyed. "Don't bring your job to the bed."

Rin laughs quietly when Haruka nuzzles against his side. The gesture convinces him, though.

"Okay." He places the laptop on his bedtable and slides under the blankets with Haruka. "But just so you know, in a week or two I'll be famous for arresting a dangerous gang."

"So what?" Haruka slurs, on his way to fall sleep again.

"You'll be the boyfriend of someone very important."

Haruka huffs a third time.

"And very stupid."

"Huh?!"

"You…" Haruka snuggles closer into his neck between deep breaths. "You've always been important."

.

Haruka is supposed to go to Momotarou's lab after the restaurant closes. It won't be opened tonight, so he hopes he'll be home early. Rin seems worried, despite having told Haruka it would be fine.

However, he's been feeling sluggish all day. Haruka slept well last night, and has drunk the coke Kisumi has been helpfully giving him throughout the morning, but his head feels strangely light and his face almost falls into a pot twice. Even standing is difficult by the time he and Kisumi have to close the restaurant. And it's raining again.

And now he has to let Momotarou 'study him', Haruka thinks with a groan, cleaning the countertop without knowing how he's managing to keep awake.

"Are you alright?"

Haruka jumps at the sound of Kisumi's voice, stumbling back until he hits his head with the kitchen wall. He hasn't heard his colleague arrive, which is strange; Haruka's hearing is way more developed than humans' and he usually knows what Kisumi is doing even when he's out of the restaurant.

Now, however, Kisumi is a few meters away from him and Haruka wouldn't have known he's there if he hadn't talked.

"Y-yes." Haruka rubs his eyes, the shock quickly melting into a dull concern. Maybe he's caught Rin's cold, after all.

"You sure? You've been sleepy all day."

Haruka rinses the cloth and wrings it out, not bothering to answer. He hates it when people worry about him.

Besides, it doesn't matter. His day isn't over yet; he gave his word to Momotarou.

Haruka drags his feet towards the hanger, clumsily taking his apron off. "Not your business."

"You should rest for a bit before going home," Kisumi insists, and Haruka supresses a growl, tripping over his own foot as he heads to the exit. Why can't he just shut up? "A-At least don't go alone."

Kisumi's voice shakes, and it's odd enough to make Haruka's sluggish steps come to a halt.

"And you?" his voice echoes in the empty kitchen. "What about _you_?" Haruka turns around when Kisumi doesn't answer, but he finds nobody where his colleague was the last time he saw him. "Kisumi?"

Haruka doesn't expect him to answer. Kisumi's kindness suddenly makes sense, and Haruka blinks repeatedly to focus his sight, walking backwards to the door, his heartbeat resounding in his eardrums as he looks around.

But then there's an arm around his neck, and Haruka's struggling isn't enough to shake it off.

"Why–" Haruka soon forgets about talking; dark spots appearing in the white walls of the kitchen, blue, purple and black and he can't breathe and his movements are slow and frustratingly ineffective. "I'm–"

His elbow finds Kisumi's ribs, and the startled cry leaves his head ringing as the pressure around his throat disappears. Haruka stumbles forward, rubbing his neck with his fingers as he tries to run even though the only exit is blocked by Kisumi, away from him until his sight clears up and he can do _something_.

He doesn't get far. Something hard hits the side of his head, snatching whatever balance Haruka had left from him. He turns around as he falls, his teeth bared to the shadow hovering over him that is all he can see from Kisumi at this point.

"I'm sorry," he mutters as another blow lands on Haruka's head. Haruka can't find any strength in him to move when he falls back to the cold floor. As his eyes finally close, he watches as Kisumi stoops next to him, and for a second he thinks he sees sorrow into his eyes. "I really am."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

.

"You hurt him."

Kisumi doesn't look at Akiyama. He doesn't dare, not when he might see Haruka on accident.

"I didn't want to. He– Drugs weren't enough."

 _He tried to run away. He tried to defend himself._

"I hope you haven't done anything to him. The head is delicate, you know. He's lucky he'll be treated well here." Kisumi raises his head, curious by the softness in Akiyama's voice, almost as if he were talking to a child.

He regrets it immediately.

Haruka is still unconscious, laying on his side on a couch, limp and unmoving. Blood slides from the wound in his temple down to his face, his eyelids fluttering ever so slightly. Kisumi is almost glad he doesn't feel Akiyama's long, thin fingers caressing the hair that isn't stuck to his head.

"Your money is there, boy."

Kisumi glares at the envelope on the low table. He doesn't want it. He doesn't want a reward for drugging, hurting and kidnapping a person. He doesn't even know if what he heard that redheaded guy say is true, if Haruka is really a merman; but the scared look on his face as he lost consciousness will haunt him for a long time.

But he takes the money nonetheless. He can't help but frown when he feels it lighter than expected.

"It's only half of what we agreed to." Akiyama explains lightly pinching Haruka's blood stained cheek. "Can you come tomorrow for the rest of the money?"

Kisumi swallows down the bile rising in his throat at the sight.

"Yes."

.

When the doorbell rings and Rin rushes to open the door, he doesn't find the person he was waiting for there.

He blinks when he sees his best friend, taking in his wet shoulders and hair, trying to ignore the worry slowly taking over him. He gets a wave of disappointment instead.

"What are you doing here?"

Sousuke frowns. "Well, I'm sorry if it's a bad moment. What were you and your fish doing, anyway?"

"Nothing, actually." Rin sighs. "Haru isn't here yet."

He lets Sousuke in and makes tea for him, even though it's late for that. Rin just wants to keep his hands busy, to do something to keep them for shaking. It's dark and Haruka hasn't come back yet. Which wouldn't worry Rin that much if Haruka hadn't gone to Momotarou's laboratory.

Sousuke doesn't ask, but Rin tells him everything anyway.

"So Haru is with little Mikoshiba."

"I think so," Rin runs his fingers through his hair. "I don't think… I mean, you knew that kid too. I don't think he'd do anything to Haru."

Sousuke shrugs.

"Maybe your fish is so special they're taking forever to understand him," he suggests.

Rin doesn't answer. He tries to think about something else, because worrying won't make Haruka come home sooner. Besides, he's seen his boyfriend attacking and defending himself from other sea people and he's pretty good at it. Rin should trust him more.

"Didn't you have a date with Kisumi?" he asks, trying to think about anything else.

Sousuke looks away. "I did." His grumpy answer doesn't conceal the blush on his cheeks, something Rin hasn't seen in years. "But he has to take care of his little brother, so it'll have to be another day."

Rin smiles. "I didn't know Kisumi had a brother."

"Apparently he's been ill since he was a baby, but some days he gets worse." Sousuke huffs, his gaze focused in a point right over Rin's shoulder as a frown appears between his eyebrows. "Kisumi smiles a lot even though he has to take care of him. It's weird."

"I think it's awesome," Rin replies. "It mustn't be easy, living with such responsibility."

.

Today is one of those days when Hayato doesn't want to eat.

And Kisumi doesn't want anything more than to fall asleep and forget the world, but his brother needs to get something into his stomach. So he orders, trades and pleads, until Hayato finally complies.

"You always come home late" the child pouts, after Kisumi takes a shower, following him around the house as usual.

Kisumi bites his lip. "The restaurant closed later," he mutters, not looking at Hayato. Because how can he tell his little brother he's keeping him alive by doing things he despises?

Hayato pouts, jumping to the bed.

"You never play with me lately."

Kisumi sits next to him. "Adults have to work, you know."

"Then, if you work so much, why aren't we rich yet?"

Kisumi's burst of laughter surprises himself. No matter what he's forced to do during the day, how much he hates himself when he comes home; his brother always manages to make him smile.

It's not enough to make him forget what he's done, though. Nothing is.

.

"Are you sure he's alright?" A deep voice, that nonetheless hides a weakness of sorts between words.

"Akiyama-san, we won't know until he wakes up." It reminds him of a river, clear and sincere.

"That kid... If he's messed up the only thing he was asked to do–"

Silence.

"What's wrong, Akiyama-san?"

"He just moved."

Haruka almost stops breathing altogether. He doesn't need to open his eyes to know the owners of those voices are talking about him. And they don't sound like anyone Haruka has heard before; which, when added to the nauseating pain that makes him feel like his head is about to explode, is enough for him to understand that he isn't in a safe place.

But his memories return in that moment, and Haruka can barely supress a whimper that quickly turns into a growl when he remembers Kisumi.

"Boy, are you listening?"

Knowing that pretending to be asleep is pointless now, Haruka open his eyes. He sits up on the soft couch he's laying on, trying to look around before dizziness takes over him and the big, dim lit room he's in sways around him.

"Don't move so quickly," the man says, and Haruka can hear the hesitation in his voice and the way his breathing and the other one's hitch and the steps getting closes to him and hearing everything overwhelms Haruka to a point that makes him want to scream. "Ayako, go and see him."

Haruka flinches away from the girl even before seeing her, almost jumping when he senses her warmth and stumbling to stand. A pair of dark, worried eyes look at him as their owner raises his hands.

"I'm sorry," she says quietly. "I'm here to make sure you're alright; you were injured when you came here." Haruka cautiously lifts his hand to his temple, where it hurts the most, and finds a bandage covering what is surely a wound. He takes another step back. "I won't hurt you, I just–"

"Don't," Haruka warns her.

For such a big room, there are only two exits. The man that has spoken before –Akiyama– blocks one of them, and the other is probably locked. Haruka looks around again, deliberately moving slower, and finds a tank of water that takes up a third of the room. The sunlight filtering through high windows tells him it's dawn. How long has he been unconscious?

"You can't run away." Haruka turns towards Akiyama, eyes half-lidded. He doesn't seem too menacing, even though Haruka himself isn't at his best now. "I'm not the only one you'll have to deal with if you try," Akiyama adds, as if he had read his mind, "and besides, there is no need to. You'll be taken care of here. As soon as you stop pretending to be human, that's it."

Haruka freezes at those words. His gaze shifts between Akiyama and the girl, looking for something that tells him they aren't talking about–

"What do you mean?"

"There's no need to play dumb. Haruka, was it?" Akiyama smiles. "This is not something I've been told. I've seen you with my own eyes, so you can't fool me." Although he seems old and oddly fragile, there is something in Akiyama's eyes that keeps Haruka alert. "You're truly lascivious creatures, aren't you? Having officer Matsuoka at your mercy just like that..."

Haruka's hands close into fists.

"Rin doesn't have anything to do with this."

"I hope so." Hands laced in his back, Akiyama takes a few steps towards Haruka. "Well? Aren't you going to show it to me?"

It's a miracle Haruka's nails don't break through the skin of his palms. He knows trying to deny it would be useless anyway– Akiyama has given enough hints to make him understand that he knows exactly what he's talking about. But he doesn't like the idea of those strangers looking at him; for Haruka it'd be like acting like the dolphins at the aquarium. He's not a show for humans.

"We'll convince you sooner o later." Akiyama's voice is calm, almost light, yet it makes Haruka shudder. "I wouldn't hurt a creature as special as you, of course." Haruka presses his lips together. "That policeman you seem to like so much, on the other hand, is just human."

Haruka's entire body tenses up.

"If you touch Rin I'll–"

"Oh, but there are more ways to make you turn into your fish form!" Akiyama waves his hand as if he hadn't just threatened Rin. "I hope we don't have to get that far."

"Aren't you hungry, Haruka?" The sea man tilts his head, confused by the sudden change of topic. "Your food is at the bottom of the tank– which, in case you are curious, means thirty meters deep. Making you succumb to such basic instincts is low, I know… But no matter how many identities you fake, you're still an animal, am I right? Let's go, Ayako."

To Haruka's credit, he waits until they're gone to plop on the floor and curl up into himself, willing his headache to go away as he tries to think of a way to escape.

.

It's three in the afternoon and Rin still knows nothing about Haruka.

He hasn't slept a wink, he hasn't eaten anything because the mere smell of food makes him feel sick and Sousuke is the only reason he hasn't ignored his job; and his friend has only managed to convince him by saying he might learn something about Haruka's whereabouts if he asks Mikoshiba. But after doing so, Rin has only found out that Momotarou is angry since Haruka didn't show up yesterday ("Why can't he be a cooperative sample?") and nobody saw his boyfriend after the restaurant closed.

"Maybe Kisumi knows something," Sousuke suggests, but after fifteen minutes on the phone he's proven wrong. Kisumi _did_ see Haruka getting out of the restaurant, but he has no idea of where he went. "He says Haru seemed sick, though."

Rin runs a hand through his hair, messing it up further than it is already. No matter how much he turns it over in his head, he doesn't find any reason for Haruka to disappear like this. They haven't even argued; he should have said something, at least.

It's difficult, with Rin's job, not thinking about unpleasant explanations for Haruka's absence. _What if he got robbed? What if he had an accident? What if somebody hurt him?_

 _What if–_

"Stop overthinking." Rin turns towards Sousuke, trying not to glare at his best friend. "He's not stupid."

Rin leans his back on the wall, shaking his head. "It's not that. There are things he doesn't know about this world yet and–"

But he stops talking, mouth hanging open.

Sousuke raises an eyebrow after several seconds of silence.

"And?"

"Maybe he went to the sea."

Sousuke tries to complain, but by the time he opens his mouth Rin is already dragging him outside.

.

As Akiyama said, there is no way out.

Haruka walks around the room, but it only helps him confirm the doors are locked. There is no way he can reach the windows, either, not even standing on the couch. He doesn't dive into the water tank –he is _terrible_ at swimming with two legs, and he refuses to shift–, but when he peeks into it he doesn't think he sees a way out– which was obvious, anyway.

He ends up laying face up on the couch, not knowing what else to do. He could throw the piece of furniture to one of the doors, but it'd attract whatever guards Akiyama has outside the room, which would mean fighting.

Haruka covers his eyes with his arm, blocking the sunlight filtering through the high windows. It's already noon, and he doesn't want to think about how he hasn't eaten anything for almost a whole day or the way his rumbling stomach makes his head hurt more. And the sounds from outside the room –steps, voices– don't say anything interesting and just help him feel worse.

Rin must be worried, he reasons. He always asks Haruka to tell him if he's going to come home late, and yesterday Haruka could tell he felt uneasy about the whole Momotarou issue. And Rin has the bad habit of worrying _too much_.

There won't be a way to calm him down if he convinces himself that he can do something about an issue he doesn't even know about.

 _It has to be a way_.

Swallowing down the dizziness, Haruka stands up again. He refuses to give up so soon.

.

His hands shake uncontrollably as he types a text and sends it to Sousuke.

As he waits for the policeman to reply, Kisumi runs towards his brother's bedroom, relieved to find Hayato sleeping despite having seen him only ten minutes ago. As if just sending a text would make Suzuki and his men come.

But Hayato is still there. Pale and sick, but there; and Kisumi prays his idea doesn't harm him.

Sousuke's reply is quick. Kisumi walks around the house, drawing the curtains just in case; he jumps when the doorbell rings, though Sousuke has told him he and Rin were on their way.

"What was so important?" he asks when Kisumi opens the door. Behind him, Rin shifts his weight from one foot to the other, his lower lip red and swollen from biting it.

"It's…" Kisumi takes a deep breath. "Better come in." He walks into the living room followed by Sousuke and Rin and gestures for them to sit down, taking in air to gather up his courage. "If… If I tell you this, they'll go for Hayato."

Sousuke frowns. Rin, however, isn't even paying attention.

"What have you gotten yourself into?"

Kisumi looks away from his– from Sousuke. He doesn't sound angry, not even disappointed. Only incredulous, as if he weren't willing to believe what Kisumi has to say.

"I told you Hayato is sick. Well, he– his medicine is expensive, so six years ago I joined a gang… It was easy; I did whatever they wanted and got the money." Someone snorts, but Kisumi doesn't dare look up. "I didn't like it, so I always tried to find a job and stop working for them."

There is a short silence, and then Sousuke exhales softly. Kisumi looks up just in time to see him smack his hand on his forehead.

"I _really_ don't want to arrest you…"

"Don't interrupt me." Kisumi closes his hands into fists. "I– That is why I'm working at the restaurant," he explains. "This time I've saved enough money, so I planned to tell them to fuck off when they asked me anything else. But when I tried, they..." Kisumi inhales, not wanting to think about it. "They'd kill Hayato if I refused to do it, so–"

"What did you do?"

Rin's voice surprises Kisumi. The policeman doesn't look pleased by his confession. Kisumi sighs, trying not to think about what's about to happen, focusing only in his words.

"I– There was this man, Shizuo Akiyama," Kisumi intertwines his fingers. "Apparently he saw Haru… He says Haru is a merman; I don't even know if it's true, but he said he wanted him and–"

A growl is the only warning before Rin gets up and closer to Kisumi in two strides; fortunately Sousuke grabs his arms before he reaches him.

"What did you do to him?" Rin demands to know, fists closed at his sides.

"Rin, lower your voice," Sousuke snaps, unfazed by his friend's glare.

"Where is Haru?" The words leave Rin's mouth as an angry hiss, even though he doesn't move when Sousuke lets go of his arms.

"At Akiyama's house," Kisumi answers, his voice barely a whisper.

Strangely, Rin only frowns, his anger momentarily gone. Kisumi doesn't know what has just happened, but the two policemen share a glare.

"Wait–" Sousuke shakes his head. "Akiyama? Isn't he–"

Rin huffs and turns to Kisumi again, not bothering to conceal his displease. "Do you know where he is?"

Kisumi swallows his fear. Hayato is fine. He'll be fine. It's alright.

"This is why I called you. I just– I know what I did was bad; but if you can keep Hayato safe and help Haru… I've thought of something that might work."

.

Worry is only worsening Haruka's headache.

The urge to dive into the water gets stronger with each passing minute; though he knows shifting while he's injured is a bad idea, the water would also help him relax and clear his mind. Besides, his food is still at the bottom of the tank, on a very visible spot.

Haruka sinks his forearms into the water, splashing his face. He rubs his eyes, trying to think. There has to be a way to get out; he just needs to use his brain…

A ring startles him, even though Haruka is sure it isn't close. Akiyama's house must be huge. But it's the first time he hears it, so he walks towards the sound and leans on the wall, sharpening his ears.

"…that kid's payment," Akiyama is saying. Further away, the door opens. Haruka listens to the newcomer's steps. "You were supposed to be here half an hour ago," the man adds coldly.

"I'm… sorry." Haruka's hands close into fists when he recognizes Kisumi's voice. That treacherous bastard– "Is Haru alright?"

It's not the question what makes Haruka frown. It's another new sound coming from a different spot. Clicking and rustling and something that sounds like someone is hitting metal with metal.

"Despite what you did," Akiyama replies, but Haruka isn't paying attention to him. There are at least five people walking from other point. "Now go. I have things to…"

But Akiyama trails off, and Haruka knows why when the steps stop and a loud bang makes him jump.

"Akiyama-san, if you–" Kisumi starts.

Even Haruka can recognize some sort of scuffle, yells and grunts mixing together in a confusing continuum. There are people running through the house different spots, and soon Haruka finds it easier to focus on Akiyama and Kisumi.

"There are intruders in the house," informs a new voice, low and serious.

"Who are they?"

"The police, sir."

Something warm floods Haruka's chest. It might be–

"But how…?" There is a short rustle.

"I don't know–"

"You… You traitor. I'll–"

"Akiyama-san, you have to run away. If they find the boy…"

"I know, I know. Give me that."

Haruka doesn't move until he hears Akiyama getting closer. He doesn't know what the man wants from him now, but he hides behind the door nonetheless. As Akiyama's steps get louder, he tries to discern anything from the noises coming from other parts of the house.

Soon, though, Akiyama is opening the door. He can't even look around before Haruka leaps on him and twists his wrists so he lets go of his gun. He stumbles back before falling under Haruka's attack, but not before he throws the key he has in his hand away.

"You monster," Akiyama spits, but despite his own headache Haruka can hear the fear in his voice as he pins the man's hands over his head. "My men will come now– Let's see how you deal with them while I get away."

"So the other door is an exit?"

At Akiyama's silence, Haruka squeezes his wrists.

"You– Stop it–"

"Is it?"

Haruka knows the answer; it's written all over Akiyama's terrified expression. But he tightens his grip nonetheless –because he doesn't want to be the only one hurt, because Akiyama threatened Rin, because he _deserves_ it–, ignoring the pained yelps until he feels something cracking under his fingers, the snap clearing the fog in Haruka's mind, letting him realize what he's done.

 _Did I…?_

"Yes!" Akiyama stops struggling when he realizes it makes his crushed bones hurt. "That's what the other key is for– Let go!"

Haruka kicks the gun away as he gets up, breathing through his nose when the dizziness comes back with a guilt he wants to think is absurd. He looks behind him; apparently the key fell into the water.

Oh, _well_. There is no way somebody will believe Akiyama when he's in jail.

Haruka takes his clothes off as he approaches the tank, wishing Akiyama stopped whining. His breath catches in his throat when he shifts, sinking into the water as he grabs the edge of the tank and closes his eyes. It's like someone is hitting his head repeatedly with a hammer, and Haruka wants to throw up despite his stomach being empty.

It eventually subsides until it's bearable, making breathing easier. Haruka dives, quickly spotting the bright silvery key and swimming towards it. Without sparing even a glance to the food, he swims to the surface, already preparing himself to shift again.

He never gets to do it. He recoils when he surfaces and sees Akiyama in front of him, pointing his gun at his chest, but it's too late. The sound of the shot deafens him, so loud Haruka doesn't even feel pain as he falls back into the water.

.

Kisumi's idea isn't half bad. Even though a part of Rin wants to strangle him for kidnapping Haruka.

Sneaking into Akiyama's house hasn't been difficult with him doing his best to attract attention; if it were up to Rin, they would've opted for a more straightforward strategy, but this week there aren't enough men in the station for that, and some of them are taking care of Hayato. Rin is grateful Mikoshiba decided against waiting for reinforcements; they could lose everything they've been working for months, but saving a life is more important.

Despite that, it isn't as easy as they would have liked. They haven't even turned two corners when they find the first one of Akiyama's guards; and soon they separate, going deeper into the building.

Rin and Sousuke find Kisumi in one of the living rooms, cornered between two men. Fortunately, they are too focused on him to notice the two policemen that easily restrain them. Kisumi almost falls to the floor out of relief.

"Thank you," he whispers, leaning his back on the wall. "Akiyama has run away, I fear. I couldn't do a thing with these two–"

"Are you alright?" Sousuke interrupts, and Rin resists the urge to roll his eyes when his friend walks to Kisumi even though he's nodded.

"Do you know where he is keeping Haru?"

Kisumi shakes his head, but the three of them freeze when the unmistakable sound of a gun being fired cuts the air.

Blood drains from Rin's face. They have been ordered not to shoot anyone.

"That's–" Sousuke breathes out, but Rin doesn't pay attention. He's already heading towards the door, determined to find the source of the sound. "Rin, wait."

"You have to stay with them." Rin points toward the guards, not stopping for a second.

He finds himself in a dead end twice, but at last he finds an open door at the bottom of a staircase; he rushes to walk into what must be the largest room in the house.

His breath hitches when he looks around. Not because there is nothing but a couch and a big water tank there; not even because of the high windows. There is a man in the tank, splashing around to hold onto the edge. But what turns Rin's insides upside down and makes his step falter is the blood that forms a trail towards another door.

"That beast… I'll show him…" It seems Akiyama hasn't noticed Rin; and under different circumstances the policeman would make sure that bastard knows he's there, but instead he runs towards the door.

He climbs up a flight of steps, heart clenching as he keeps walking by the blood until he finds its source barely two metres from the exit, curled up into himself, his laboured breathing echoing in the walls.

Rin drops to his knees by his side. "Haru. Hey, Haru–"

As soon as he reaches for him, though, Haruka all but jumps on him, too fast considering he hasn't legs right now, pushing Rin back until he's laying on top of him and his nails dig into Rin's shoulders. He looks threatening despite the wet bandages around his forehead and his ragged breathing.

And Rin sees his bared teeth, hears the low growl forming at the back of his throat– but he also looks at the blood flooding from the dark wound on his shoulder; at the scared, lost glint in his eyes; and has no fear when he reaches for Haruka's cheek even though he feels the sea man's angry look burning his hand.

"It's me," he whispers, and Haruka half-closes his eyes, showing his teeth even more when Rin caresses his skin in a silent warning. "Haru, it's just me."

Haruka blinks. Slowly, the growl turns into a soft purr before disappearing. He looks at Rin again; but now his expression is just confused.

Rin sits up, his heart speeding up when Haruka leans his head on his chest, and he looks around for something to stop the bleeding.

"I hurt him." Haruka mumbles.

"I know. He probably deserved it." Rin takes his jacket off, and then his shirt, as gently as he can.

"I _wanted_ to hurt him."

Rin just kisses his forehead. After putting on his jacket again, he presses the shirt against the wound, ignoring Haruka's pained hiss.

It's only when his boyfriend's trembling hand reaches his wrist that Rin realizes.

"You need to shift."

Haruka looks up and blinks, confused. "Shift…?"

"You need to go to the hospital," Rin explains, "and if someone sees you with a tail…"

"No."

Rin bites his lip.

"Please, Haru. You need to; it's– This isn't just a cut."

"It'll hurt."

Quick steps approach before Rin can reply. He can only hug Haruka tighter, but the person who walks out of the house is just Sousuke.

"We saw the blood," he explains, almost tripping over Haruka's tail as he stops, "and Mikoshiba called an ambulance. The others are getting rid of the guards left." He looks at Haruka. "Is it serious?"

"It's just his shoulder, I think." Rin kisses Haruka's wet hair. "It'll be worse if he shifts, though."

"I'm still here," Haruka slurs, annoyed, but his gaze is barely focused. He closes his eyes, letting go of Rin's wrist. "I don't want to–"

"Nobody will hurt you," Rin interrupts. Haruka winces, and Rin thinks about how he said the same thing not too long ago, about the state Haruka is in right now, and he bites an apology that wouldn't mean much now. "I'll be with you, okay?"

For almost a whole minute, Haruka stays silent, and Rin starts fearing he's lost consciousness. However, when Haruka snuggles closer and a whimper escapes his lips the policeman watches as his tail slowly separates in two legs. Gasps and grunts fall incoherently from Haruka's mouth as he closes his hands into fists so tightly his nails probably pierce through his palms.

Rin only allows himself to sigh when Haruka's back relaxes and his breath evens out a bit.

 _It's alright. He's here._

"I'm sorry," he whispers. "I know it hurts."

Haruka grabs Rin's wrist again. "Just don't go."

The hand that isn't pressing on Haruka's wound ruffles his hair. "I won't."

 _Don't be scared_ , is what he wants to say. _I'm here._


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

.

Sousuke doesn't really want to do everything Rin isn't doing.

He is tired, too; besides, he doesn't want to be there when Mikoshiba arrests Kisumi. But leaving Haruka on his own in a hospital isn't a good idea either. It's not even an average phobia; Haruka might be terrifying when he wants to –and judging by what he did to Akiyama's wrists, Sousuke wouldn't want to have him as an enemy–, but leaving him alone with a bunch of doctors is too cruel.

Especially after what he's gone through.

It's already dark when Sousuke finishes all the paperwork. He wants to sleep, but he drags his feet back to the hospital despite being exhausted.

Haruka shares a room with another patient, but they are separated by a thick curtain; his bed is closer to the window, and he is looking through it when Sousuke walks in. Rin, sitting on a chair next to Haruka, seems to be about to fall asleep.

"Hey," Sousuke says.

Rin gives a sleepy nod. Haruka, however, sits up abruptly at the sound, looking over the room before exhaling shakily and pressing his hands to his face.

Rin chuckles. "Don't move so suddenly," he whispers, helping Haruka to lay back again. The sea man turns his head away, closing his eyes, and Rin's smile falls.

"How is your fish?" Sousuke asks.

Rin bites his lip.

"The bullet didn't reach any organ, and it seems his head is fine… He'll be discharged in no time, but he'll have to rest."

Sousuke knows there is more, than what Rin says. Haruka's breath is calm, but his hand grips Rin's own so tightly his knuckles turn white and the blood loss isn't enough to explain the paleness of his face, that reaches even his lips.

Even though Rin doesn't mention them, Sousuke can see the other wounds. Being from a different species doesn't make Haruka immune to them.

.

Taking so many free days is going to delay their next planned trip at least two months, but Rin can't leave Haruka alone at the hospital. After some days the sea man feels confident enough to be with Sousuke for some hours while Rin goes home to take a shower and change his clothes, but Rin has already witnessed what happens when Haruka feels cornered and doesn't want to risk anything.

He's quiet, more than usual. He doesn't ask about Kisumi or Akiyama, nor makes any comments whenever Rin and Sousuke talk about the latest cases in front of him. He mutters he'd like seeing his friends, but doesn't answer when he's discharged from the hospital and Rin suggests going to the beach.

Rin goes back to work two days after Haruka comes back home. When he is back, he finds Haruka curled up in the bathtub, apparently without noticing it doesn't have any water.

"Hey, Haru," he breathes after getting him to the bed and watching how slowly he puts some clothes on. "Do you want to talk about anything?"

Haruka seems pensive, but he shakes his head after some seconds.

"Do you have any books with animals?" he asks, though.

At first Rin bites his lower lip, but soon his face lights up. "I'll see what I can do about it."

Maybe it's not much, but it's a start.

.

Among the things Sousuke doesn't want to do (and has to, because now he's not covering Rin) is seeing Kisumi.

It's not like he's already in jail; he has some rough trials ahead, but Mikoshiba has convinced the right people that there's no risk of him running away. Truth be told, once he made sure Hayato was safe Kisumi cooperated with everything he could, which added to the fact that he was blackmailed makes his future a bit less dark.

Which doesn't mean drugging Haruka, causing him a concussion and kidnapping him was right.

"I know," Kisumi admits when Sousuke gathers up the courage to visit him, more than a week after that. He's sitting on his couch, Hayato asleep on his lap. "I wish I could apologize."

"It's not a good idea," Sousuke quickly replies, remembering the silent shadow Haruka is lately. He points at Hayato. "Does he know?"

Kisumi sighs, looking down at his brother.

"More or less. I can't tell him everything, of course, but… He's angry because I was out there doing bad things instead of playing with him."

They fall in a worried silence. If the judge decides sending Kisumi to jail, Hayato will be taken care of by the government. It'll be hard for him and Sousuke thinks the whole thing is unfair.

He can't bring himself to say it out loud, though. Because he has no right, not when Rin's eyes are sunken with worry and lost sleep, not when Kisumi's are reddened with tears he sheds when nobody is looking, when Haruka's hold apprehension Sousuke has never seen in them before.

So he just kisses Kisumi and hopes Rin keeps pretending he doesn't know.

.

It's been raining for almost two weeks.

Haruka doesn't actually know how long it's been since the last time he saw the sun, but that's definitely the reason he hasn't gone out yet. That, and because according to the doctors he shouldn't do anything that requires effort with his arms, because he could open his wound and Haruka has no desire of going back to the hospital, thank you very much. And, also, because if he hits his head again it might be very bad.

And maybe Haruka just doesn't feel like going outside.

He doesn't feel like doing anything, actually. Whenever he thinks about going out, he just wants to curl up in his and Rin's bed and not getting up again, but spending the day there isn't a good idea, either. So he walks around the house until he doesn't want to anymore and sits wherever that happens, usually until Rin comes back and forces him to eat something.

He sometimes wants to reply to Rin's playful teasing, but it's tiring. And Haruka doesn't know why he's tired –he hasn't gone back to work yet, he doesn't do anything else than walking for some minutes every day–, but whenever he opens his mouth the words forming in his throat stop being worth saying, so he keeps them in.

When Rin comes home after his shift, he finds Haruka curled up on the living room floor, absent-mindedly doodling on a notebook as he looks through the window.

"What are you drawing?" he asks, squatting next to him. Haruka lets him see it and Rin tilts his head, squinting. "Is that a caterpillar?"

Haruka shakes his head. "It's a water bear." It's a short answer, and Rin doesn't look like he knows what Haruka is talking about, so he forces himself to say something more. "A tardigrade. It was in that book about animals you brought the other day."

"Oh."

There is a tense silence, and Haruka knows what comes next.

"How about we go for a walk?" Haruka pretends to be focused on finishing drawing the tardigrade's claws. It's worked up until now. "Oi, don't ignore me."

Haruka grips the pencil tighter. "I don't feel like it."

Rin sighs.

"You can't stay here forever, you know." The pencil draws a darker line. "It's normal you're scared, but those guys are–"

Haruka's head snaps up.

"I'm not scared." He _isn't_. Akiyama and the others are arrested; and according to Sousuke everybody thinks Akiyama is out of his mind whenever he insists Haruka is a merman. There is _no_ _reason_ to be wary.

"It's okay." Rin slides an arm around his shoulders. "I know being kidnapped isn't easy, but–"

"No, you don't."

The warm weight of Rin's arm is gone even before Haruka registers the sharpness in his own voice. He sees Rin's surprised, almost hurt look, and as he lowers his gaze he curses himself for not knowing to keep his mouth shut when he has to.

"I… Sorry."

 _It's not Rin's fault_.

Rin lets out a deep sigh, sitting down in front of Haruka with his legs flexed, his toes brushing Haruka's.

"No, you're right." Haruka looks up. Rin doesn't seem angry; in fact, he's smiling softly.

"I've never had to go through something like that, so I can't know how it is. I've only been told that when it happens people need time to heal." Rin runs a hand through his hair. "But I _do_ know that not doing anything isn't helping you."

Haruka fiddles with the pencil between his fingers. "I'm always tired," he admits softly. "But I don't know why. I haven't done anything."

"Then you aren't tired, you're just making excuses," Rin replies, offering his hand. "But that's what I'm here for."

Haruka reaches out to grab Rin's hand out of reflex. He doesn't know what Rin has done, but the tension that has been building up inside him is mostly gone.

"It's raining," he tries one last time, though he knows it isn't.

"Good try." Rin's smile widens. "You have three minutes to get dressed."

.

They settle for going to the cinema once a week. The rest of the days, they just walk around and talk; as days pass, Rin starts feeling like they are holding an actual conversation instead of a one-sided monologue. Making Haruka go out isn't easy sometimes, but it's always worth it.

One of those cinema days, Rin doesn't really feel like watching a children movie, but the grotesque design of the characters soon catches Haruka's attention; and it's the livelier Rin has seen him for a while, so giving in is incredibly easy.

Afterwards, however, Haruka is tired; he doesn't say it, but Rin sees it in the decreasing pace of his steps, in the way he stops looking around and just stares at the ground at they walk. So he suggests going home, noticing the grateful glint in Haruka's eyes as the sun sinks between mountains and buildings.

Rin doesn't get why Haruka tenses up when they're approaching the house, though. He usually feels calmer there, sheltered from a noisy world he wants to know but sometimes finds exhausting. However, when he's about to speak Haruka hugs him from behind and covers his mouth with his hand.

Startled, Rin struggles despite knowing Haruka _is_ stronger than him; at least until Haruka speaks in his ear a barely audible:

"There's someone inside."

Rin stills, and after some seconds Haruka lets go of him. He doesn't look at him, though; he stares at the empty house, serious and alert and with a guarded expression, and after some seconds he walks towards the front door, not making any sound.

Rin catches up with him when he's two steeps from the entry. Haruka stops and turns around.

"You're loud."

Rin ignores the jab.

"Where are you going?" he hisses, and wants to roll his eyes at Haruka's slight movement to point at the building. "No. You stay here while I–"

"Oh? Why?"

"Because I'm a policeman and you have to take care of your head."

Haruka almost growls. "My head is fine," he snaps, offended. "You're so clumsy I could hear you from the train station."

Later, Rin will be probably glad that Haruka's stubbornness is back. _Later_.

"Listen, your mermaid senses are awesome, but no human will hear…" Rin trails off when Haruka turns his head towards the house again, frowning. "What?"

"Someone tripped," the sea man explains. He tilts his head. "Again. They broke something."

Rin has heard that, too.

"How many people are there?"

"One." But Haruka stretches his arm and grabs the doorknob, ignoring Rin's kick on his ankle. "Louder than you, though."

Rin knows this is not the time to ask why must he be the reference, but before he can talk he hears steps approaching, and pushes Haruka until he's out of the way, slamming him against the fence that separates their house from the next one.

"Shh–" but before he can shush Haruka's quiet moan of pain, the door opens, and the intruder comes out of the building.

It's a blonde boy, at least a head shorter than him. He almost falls to the floor when he stops running abruptly and looks around, big eyes scanning his surroundings until he spots them.

Even under the moonlight, the blinding smile that lights up his face stands out.

"Haru-chan!" he all but yells, not worrying about the volume of his voice as he approaches them in small jumps. He stops again, though. "Oh. You're doing things."

Haruka huffs, pushing Rin aside as he steps towards the newcomer. "We're not doing anything."

"Good!" And Nagisa leaps on Haruka, hugging him with arms and legs and ignoring his half-hearted complaints. "We were so worried! We didn't know anything, and we thought that something bad had happened… But you're alright!" He giggles, snuggling his face into Harukas's shoulder, and to Rin's astonishment Haruka hugs him back.

They manage to enter the house and turn on the lights, Nagisa alternating excited cries and hugs with explanations.

By the time he's finished, Rin is sure Haruka's glare is starting to make his skin melt.

"You _forgot to tell them you had found me_." Haruka repeats the barely audible excuse, arching an eyebrow.

Rin sighs. "I was worried about you, okay? And then I had to move to the hospital so you didn't have a fit surrounded by doctors–"

"Hospital?" Nagisa tilts his head. "With _human scientists_?" He frowns. "What happened?"

It's Haruka's turn to be honest, so he makes a concise summary of the events since Rin's birthday, keeping his voice so calm Rin knows he's making a great effort.

"…so I had to because I was injured," he concludes, standing up and walking to the kitchen. Rin bites his lip, and he can tell the always cheerful Nagisa is worried, too.

"Why did you come?" he asks, partly because Haruka will probably shut down if they keep talking about him. Nagisa looks at him. "I mean, why only you?"

"Well, Mako-chan can't shift and Rei-chan has a lot of things to do since he became the new leader, so…" Nagisa shrugs. "Plus, they don't know any human besides you."

"How many humans do you know?" Rin looks at Haruka, who sits down again with a glass of water, looking expectantly at his friend.

Nagisa smiles, a mischievous grin Rin honestly doesn't trust.

"You didn't think you'd be the only one who likes exploring land, do you, Haru-chan?"

.

Nagisa goes back to the ocean in the middle of the night.

Haruka accompanies him, with the difference that he's just going to pay his friends a visit. It's been only two months since the last time he saw them, but so many things have happened that it feels like a lifetime.

Makoto and Rei are asleep, but they don't complain when Nagisa's cheerful "Haru-chan is here!" wakes them up. They hug Haruka for so long that he almost needs to push them off him forcefully to breach and take air, and after they catch up with the latest events Makoto swims grabbing Haruka's caudal fin, a childish habit that soothes them both.

They swim over the seagrass, to the trench, to the dead reef, talking about unimportant things, just happy to be together again. Haruka promises to visit more often, and doesn't realize he's been smiling for hours until he gets home at dawn and finds Rin still asleep on his side of the bed, thankfully oblivious to Haruka's absence.

Haruka _does_ notice his smile growing wider, though, when he gets under the blankets and takes Rin's hand in his and the human mumbles something that sounds like his name.

.

"I should go back to the restaurant," Haruka muses one day, about a week after finding Nagisa in the house. They had falling into an oddly comfortable silence after arguing about what they'll have for dinner.

"That would be good. I think they have a new waiter." Rin senses Haruka's grip tensing around his hand, and turns around just in time to see him raising his hand toward the closed wound in his head. "Hey–"

"What happened to Kisumi?"

Rin bites his lip.

"Actually, he had his trial the other day. He won't have to go to jail, since he helped us find and save you, but he'll have to work a lot."

"He was the one who kidnapped me in the first place," Haruka grumbles.

"They threatened him with killing his brother," Rin reasons, though he isn't exactly sure about why he is excusing Kisumi, when most of the time he wants to punch him. Maybe it's because he knows he would've done the same thing for Gou. Maybe because he's seen Sousuke hurting for weeks and it's painful for him, too.

Haruka just huffs. "And Akiyama?"

Rin's pace slowers until he stops.

"Rotting in jail, I hope. He surely won't get away." He doesn't realize Haruka keeps walking until he tugs at his hand. "I'm sorry."

Haruka tilts his head to the side, confused.

"Why?"

Rin fixes his gaze on the ground.

"He… You know, he saw us during my birthday. And it was me who asked you…"

There are soft steps, and then a finger on his lips.

"It's not your fault." Haruka lifts his chin with his hand so that Rin is looking at him. "And it's over. You said it, didn't you?"

Rin nods reluctantly. "But it doesn't make it less…"

Haruka rolls his eyes, a gesture Rin is sure he's learnt from humans.

"Rin," he calls, "shut up."

Rin probably wouldn't have complied if Haruka hadn't made his request clear with a kiss. He has no choice but to trust him, and as Haruka pulls back Rin inwardly curses him for being too convincing.

Haruka stares into his eyes for a short while before resuming walking, and Rin can only look at him from behind as he wills his legs to follow the sea man.

He's so, _so_ glad everything is on its way to be alright.

.

 **End**


End file.
